What If Humans Were Twice as Intelligent?

[ɹǝuuᴉM]

As per title, do you think humanity will be better or worse off?
http://www.livescience.com/17918-humans-intelligent.html

 

[MrGray]

Intelligence will only take you so far. There are many people with insanely high IQ's who are basically drop outs and underachievers - the "gifted underachiever". And intelligence doesn't always equate to common sense. Highly intelligent people tend to be quite neurotic, I'm not sure what affect this will have on a whole society. On the other hand, it is well documented that countries' economic prosperity is closely correlated to their average IQ's, so there's that.

 

[Beachless]

In SA that would mean our average IQ is about 140 which would be great.

 

[shreez]

In SA that would mean our average IQ is about 140 which would be great.

LOL

Love it!

 

[ɹǝuuᴉM]

Intelligence will only take you so far. There are many people with insanely high IQ's who are basically drop outs and underachievers - the "gifted underachiever". And intelligence doesn't always equate to common sense. Highly intelligent people tend to be quite neurotic, I'm not sure what affect this will have on a whole society. On the other hand, it is well documented that countries' economic prosperity is closely correlated to their average IQ's, so there's that.

But than again, there are intelligent drop outs who went on and made a huge success with their lifes.

 

[saor]

Intelligence will only take you so far. There are many people with insanely high IQ's who are basically drop outs and underachievers - the "gifted underachiever".

Hopefully we'd start by remodeling the way kids are educated. Even by today's standards - this reaction to Industrialization that is the modern schooling system is designed more to generate another brick in the wall than it is to be a malleable system that allows individuality to flourish.

 

[WaxLyrical]

Let's say Zuma had twice his current intelligence.
This would only mean he'd say half of the shyte he does.

 

[Vaughan]

LOL

Love it!

Sadly he isn't joking.... the average IQ in South Africa is 77 which means that the average person would almost be considered mentally challenged by law in Northern Europe......

 

[grok]

In SA that would mean our average IQ is about 140 which would be great.

Sure it'd be great, but considering that everyone else (as per OP) doubled in intelligence as well, we'd still lag behind the rest of the world as the world average would've doubled too.

 

[ɹǝuuᴉM]

Sure it'd be great, but considering that everyone else (as per OP) doubled in intelligence as well, we'd still lag behind the rest of the world as the world average would've doubled too.

Yes, you are correct but I do not want to go there. My question was - would our world be a better place or not? How would a doubling in intelligence affect human life on Earth?

 

[skeptic_SA]

If humans were twice as intelligent - Then these forums would be 1/2 as entertaining.

It's the "stupid" that keeps me coming back here for more...

 

[Nanfeishen]

Hopefully we'd start by remodeling the way kids are educated. Even by today's standards - this reaction to Industrialization that is the modern schooling system is designed more to generate another brick in the wall than it is to be a malleable system that allows individuality to flourish.

This ^^

With all our progress and modernity, we still employ an outdated old fashioned model for schooling children that dates back to the 1800's.
A system that doesnt encourage free thinking individuals, but that creates a stunted thought process of obedience to authority, mindless repetition, a useless spoon fed glut of information that is seldomn needed or used beyond the system.
Its not education, its just schooling.

There are many people with insanely high IQ's who are basically drop outs and underachievers - the "gifted underachiever".

The result of the system that humanity exists under currently, which values certain trains of thought over others and places exagerated monetary value on them, creating a false sense of requirements that do not serve the greater good of humanity but only to create profit at the expense of others.

 

[Ms Cogito]

Lower IQ was found to be correlated with higher aggression

http://www.rcgd.isr.umich.edu/aggr/...Funcning&Aggr.JourofPersonality&SociPsych.pdf

 

[bokdrol]

We would have developed the technology to have destroyed the planet in half the time.

 

[Creag]

Having just watched the movie, Transcendence, last night, I would say that it could swing both ways. For any who enjoy Depp and something with a bit of Sci Fi to it, this is well worth a watch.

If your motives and natural tendencies are pure, then using the gift would result in the greater good. The opposite, unfortunately, is also true.

 

[Leonidas]

But than again, there are intelligent drop outs who went on and made a huge success with their lifes.

But there are fewer of those than there are of those that went on to get a basic graduation qualifications.

 

[HavocXphere]

To be honest I think anything beyond say 120 isn't much of an advantage.

e.g. I'll take 120 plus good social skills over 200 any day.

 

[Beachless]

Sure it'd be great, but considering that everyone else (as per OP) doubled in intelligence as well, we'd still lag behind the rest of the world as the world average would've doubled too.

I dont really mind that I just want the average guy on the street to have decent rational thought and have the ability to reason for themselves.

 

[Magnum]

Let's say Zuma had twice his current intelligence.
This would only mean he'd say half of the shyte he does.

No 2 times 0 is still ZERO!

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

If humanity had twice the intelligence,
I think a lot of things would be better, but worse in the same way.

We'd still have all the issues, just worse off.

For a laugh, watch idiocracy, funny and true regarding intelligence and birth rates......